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New Orleans Demo Plan Sparks Protests

Preservationists and city officials are debating a plan to cull homes throughout New Orleans deemed damaged beyond repair after Hurricane Katrina. The city wants to tear down about 2,000 homes, at least 71 of which are in historic districts. The protests by preservationists are the latest attack on the city`s demolition plans. Greg Meffert, a city official who oversees permits and safety, says opponents to demolitions have about three months to prove buildings should be removed from the demolition list.

A lawsuit forced the city to halt demolition plans and agree to notify homeowners if their homes were included, something the city first said it did not need to do if a home was a public risk. City officials expect the notices to go out this week. The preservationists have looked at 199 of those buildings in the city`s historic districts, concluding 71 are structurally sound and another 29 may be salvageable.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the New Orleans-based Preservation Resource Center and volunteers, conducted the building inspections. The city plans to first demolish 123 buildings that are immediate hazards, and then about 1,900 other buildings deemed in danger of collapsing.